109 



lii'DWn ill color. I'eck ori,iiin;il!.v described this species as a Bari.sta in 

 1S70 (Bot. Gaz. 4:17(1) Imt two years later transferred it to the genus 

 Mijcenastruiii ( r>oT. <iaz. f':24()). It very evidently l)elongs in the group of 

 tumblers, tlie mature plant Ijecoming loosened from the place of growth. 

 The Hovistclht dcsir'licd in tli(^ foiegciing pariiu'rajih niirmally remains at- 

 tached. As to whether our American species ^luccnustiiiin spinuJosnm is 

 identical with any foreign species there is some diversity of opinion. 

 I)r. T;. Hollos, a Hungarian liotanist, claims all forms of ]\liicniastrum to be 

 one species, of which the oldest nam,' is .1/. f'oriiiiii. and he lielieves this 

 species to be cosmopolitan. Lloyd at first disagreed but later practically 

 accei»ted this disposition. Dr. Kd. Fischer, however, in Eugler & Prantl, 

 Natiirlichen I'flanzenfamilien reco'-'uizes about thirteen species of Mijcenas- 

 Iriiiii. M. Vorlinii and M. ■sj)iniilii-'<siiiii bein.g considered distinct. IMcIlvalne 

 in his l)ook, One Thousand .Vnicrican Fungi, o]>ser\es that he has no report 

 upon the edibility of J/, spiiiuhisinn l)ut that it is prol)al)ly good. 



The largest species of all, which is also the largest species of fungus 

 known, is commonly known as the. "giant puff-ball." It passes under such 

 a variety of scientific names that one scarcely knows which one to use. 

 There appear to be three important specific names which have been pro- 

 posed, Boirista, inaximri, and f/if/antea. The latter two appear more appro- 

 jiriate but the tlrst evidently has priority. These specific names with 

 some others have been variously combined with the genera Lycoperdon, 

 Bori-std, (llolxtrla and Calrafia so as to make a long list of synonyms. In 

 the Academy ])a]iers already cited it has been referred to as t'nl rutin fiif/aii- 

 1c(i. Lijcopcrdon (/i(/antei(>ii, L. Bovistttm, and Calvatla Bouista. Without 

 attempting to enter into a discussion of the validity of the various genera 

 it may be said that there appear to be good reasons for separating some 

 forms from the old genus J.i/coperdon, and if the genus Calvatla Fries 

 should be maintained, a proper name" for the species under discussion 

 would appear to be (Uilratia Bari.sta (L.) Fnderwood (rroc. Indiana 

 Acad. Scierice 18£3:<:)). In spite of the fact that Lloyd says it is of 

 rather rare occurrence in the Ignited States it seems to have been fre- 

 quently collected in Indiana. I'ublished accounts indicate collections from 

 Montgomery, Xoble. and Putnam Counties. To this list is now added Tip- 

 l>ecanoe County.' On Octoljer s, 1911, ]Mr. George Snyder brought in a 

 fine specimen of this fungus which he found growing on wet, peaty soil in 



^ In adclitioc, .Johnson and Fulton roiintios were named by persons in the audi- 

 ence when tliis paper was bring veaci. 



